Elmo Picks A Side For World Cup After His NBA Finals Controversy: ‘Don’t Make This A Thing’

This time around, Elmo isn’t sitting on the fence. The “Sesame Street” star said in a video shared on social media Friday that he is supporting Team USA amid the FIFA World Cup tournament. The announcement comes just weeks after Elmo wrote on X that he “hopes both teams have fun” during the NBA Finals. The post drew massive backlash from New Yorkers who accused the puppet of forgetting his roots, with the fictional Sesame Street canonically based in the Big Apple. “Elmo wants Team USA to win. Okay? Just to be clear,” said Elmo, sporting a Team USA jersey, before alluding to the drama. “But Elmo loves everybody. Just to be clear. Don’t make this a thing.” While Elmo declared his loyalty to Team USA, he reiterated that he loves all, including “everybody who’s playing” in the tournament. It’s not surprising that Elmo would want to clear the air. Elmo, who’s three years old, was labeled a “coward” by angry Knicks fans for his failure to support the hometown team. The red furry monster attempted days later to course correct, telling social media users to “KNICKS that last message! Elmo didn’t mean to SPUR you on!” But it was too little too late. Official city agencies even got in on the Elmo hate, with the NYC Department of Transportation threatening to take down the iconic “Sesame Street” sign on the corner of Broadway and West 63rd Street. Perhaps the biggest dagger to the heart came from Cookie Monster, who took the opportunity to troll his pal. “Elmo teach me not to eat trophy. Me teach Elmo to pick a team,” Cookie Monster said on X. After the Knicks won the Finals, ending a 53-year championship drought, captain Jalen Brunson extended an olive branch. During the parade celebration this past Thursday, Brunson brought with him an Elmo plushie with a sign that read, “Forgive Me PLEASE.”